bairnsdale.

Ben's current job location is in the city of Bairnsdale, located in East Gippsland, Victoria. A scenic four-hour drive from Melbourne, Bairnsdale is a small city, but is relatively close to a few resort towns and exciting attractions - a convenient location for exploring the eastern area of Victoria. Ben convinced me to tag along with him, and since I'm currently exploring a few computer-related self-employment opportunities, I decided that there was no real point for me to stay in Melbourne alone.

Bairnsdale's main street has a unique layout. A vast collection of flowers, trees, benches and war memorials are spread over a wide median strip of the street for 500 metres. Weather permitting, it's a great place to enjoy a picnic lunch or curl up with a good book. The Band Rotunda is also a notable landmark, built in 1910 and restored in the 90's.

war memorial

Band Rotunda

view from the rotunda 

Bairnsdale Magistrates' Court

Bairnsdale is also the home of St. Mary's Catholic Church. The exterior of the building is large and lovely, and the interior is truly breathtaking. The ceiling and walls are covered in murals, which were painted during the Great Depression by Italian artist Francesco Floreani.

St. Mary's Catholic Church

Bairnsdale is also the location of the Krowathunkooloong Keeping Place, a museum dedicated to showcasing the Aboriginal heritage and culture of East Gippsland. I didn't have a chance to visit the museum this time around, but it sounds fascinating. I also wasn't able to visit the East Gippsland Art Gallery, as it was closed during the one day I spent exploring the city. Looks like I might have to return for another visit soon!

CK

the australian grand prix.

During our first weekend in Melbourne, as we went on our grand tour of the city with our good friend Anne, she explained to us that Albert Park is transformed in March for the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix.  She specifically took us for a drive around the lake to show us what it looked like on a normal day, so that when we witnessed the transformation we could fully appreciate and marvel at all the work that goes into preparing for this annual event.  And it definitely is a sight to behold.

Candice and I had been contemplating going, after all it is another one of those Melbourne events that we want to experience while we’re here, but due to the cost of this particular event, the fact that I was still dealing with a lingering sickness, and the weather forecast of rain and wind, we had decided to just stay home and catch some of it on TV.  Literally just a few minutes after deciding this, we got a text from our good friends Cindy and David, who offered us free tickets that David had gotten through work and wouldn’t be able to use.  Just like that, the weather report didn’t sound so ominous and my health took a turn for the better – looks like we’d be going to the races!

Fun fact – I know pretty much nothing about car racing, let alone Formula 1.  However, I did manage to learn a few fun things during our time at the Grand Prix.  The most interesting thing I learned is that this year they used a new supercharged hybrid V6 engine in the cars.  Good thing about the change: the cars were a bit faster.  Bad thing about the change: they weren’t very loud.  Now the loudness issue may not seem like a big deal to you, dear reader, but allow me to explain.

Leading up to the Grand Prix all my coworkers had been explaining how loud the cars are and that ear plugs are a must have, but it’s worth it as the roar of the engines is such a great part of the experience.  So we came prepared (because who wants to spend $5 on ear plugs at the gate) and as the race started I had my ear plugs out and ready for use.  Then the cars went by...  And it wasn’t very loud.  In fact I could have a conversation with Candice just fine.  It was really no louder than a Toyota Prius driving by.  Hmmm, must be just a warm up lap, I thought.  After a few laps, the race officially began, but as the cars were racing by I observed that it was barely louder than before.  So I came to the only logical conclusion that the lack of noise could justify – Australians have really low tolerance for noise, and apparently will need hearing protection when in the presence of other ear-splitting sounds such as a butterfly flapping its wings, a baby drumming on a stuffed animal with a scarf, and other sounds that are almost imperceptible to my highly undeveloped ears.

Needless to say, I was shocked to learn that my conclusion was incorrect.  I found upon my return to work that everyone was complaining because the cars were so quiet, and that it caused such a stir that the Australian Grand Prix organizers are considering suing Formula One because of a lack of engine noise.  Now that is a people that really and truly appreciate their car racing and want it to be loud!  And to be honest, Candice and I were both a little disappointed with the lack of noise.  When something gets so built up in your mind and expectations, it’s always a little sad when it doesn’t quite meet them.

(shhhhh)

Aside from the racing, which was actually really fun to watch, they also had lots of other cool events and interesting things to see.  Tony Hawk was there, along with some other probably well-known skateboarders, putting on a display in the half-pipe.  Then there was the BMX bike area, the extreme zone which featured the classic “motorcycle on a high-wire” act, and of course lots of really nice cars on display that had been involved in other racing events throughout the weekend.  We also got to enjoy a couple of really impressive aerial displays – the first from six Roulettes of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), followed by a second display involving an F/A18 jet.  Speaking of noise, the jet did not disappoint – that thing was extremely LOUD!

skateboarders on the half-pipe

RAAF

F/A 18 jet

Qantas jet flyover

All in all, it was a really fun experience packed full of lots to see and do.  We even got a bit of excitement in our portion of the track during the race when one of the drivers lost a wheel, and got to watch with fascination as all the other drivers were forced to avoid it until the track crew could run out and remove it.  Sometimes, it’s the simple things in life that really make the experience worth it.

BK

i belong in geelong.

As we mentioned before, Ben gets to do some traveling over the next few months, for various work projects. For the last two weeks he's been working in the city of Geelong, about 75 kilometres south-west of Melbourne. Because it's only an hour-long train ride from home, I had the opportunity to come out for a few visits in between various job interviews and appointments. 

I had a really, really great time. And I'm kind of in love with this city.

the Geelong carousel is a popular attraction for children, and a great place to enjoy the sunrise.

The second most populated area in the state of Victoria, downtown Geelong is right on the water, surrounding Corio Bay. This makes for some beautiful sunrises in the morning:

after enjoying a sunrise in the rain, I turned around to see this.

boats and a black swan on a mission.

Geelong is also home to the Baywalk Bollards, created by Australian artist Jan Mitchell in the late 90's. Over 100 of these painted sculptures are scattered around the city, created from the ruins of an old demolished pier. Many of them represent important figures from the history of Geelong, and some of them are decorated with fun props such as bikes and umbrellas.

each bollard is unique, detailed, and beautiful.

The wool industry is an important part of Geelong's history. It was the home of the first woollen mills in the 1800's, and for many years was known as the "wool centre of the world." The National Wool Museum features three floors of detailed and informative exhibits, as well as an actual working loom that makes beautiful carpets (for sale at the gift shop, of course!). The museum chronicles the history of wool in Australia - from the arrival of sheep on the first fleet in 1788, to the living conditions of shearers and mill-workers, to the transformation of coarse wool into colourful fabrics.

 

the still-working Komet Knitter machine, knitting socks with ease.

wool exhibits.

a real, working 1910 Axminster Jacquard carpet loom in action.

A few blocks away from the wool museum is the Geelong Gallery, a free art museum and one of Australia's oldest regional galleries. It holds a large collection of Australian and international paintings, artefacts, and mixed media, ranging from the colonial period to modern day. My favourite works were part of a temporary exhibit called Ex libris, a collection of art inspired by the physical form of books, featuring eight contemporary artists. I had an amazing time here, and highly recommend visiting the gallery.

The Eastern beach is a beautiful area in Geelong, with a large children's swimming pool and a recreational swimming area enclosed within a circular boardwalk. The palm trees give it a resort vibe, and it's a great place for families to relax and hang out.

view from the boardwalk

Finally, I got to spend some time exploring the Geelong Botanic Gardens. Established in 1851 and renovated in 2002, the gardens are a collection of diverse plants from all over the world. There are weekly guided tours given by volunteers every Sunday, and the gardens are also used as a venue for weddings and other functions. 

It's a bummer that Ben is usually hard at work during my adventures. We did have some free time on Saturday, so I was able to show him the Eastern Beach and Botanic Gardens, which he loved.

I had a great time exploring the city, and am so happy that it's only an hour away from Melbourne. Hopefully we'll be able to return for a long weekend getaway, so I can show Ben more of my favourite spots. I can totally see us settling down here - a cosy area surrounded by art, beautiful sunrises on the water, community events, and just a great vibe in general.

I belong in Geelong.

Or at least, somewhere like it.

CK